Lecture I

Let us think of very ancient times in the evolution of mankind—to begin with, of those epochs described in my Outline Of Occult Science as the Old Indian and Old Persian periods of culture. Naturally, many things that were done by men in those times go to form the content of history. But it must be realised that happenings which then constituted external history were by no means the outcome of fully conscious deliberation on the part of men, for human consciousness was pervaded by a kind of dreamlike clairvoyance. Pictures arose in men's consciousness—pictures interwoven with the activities of Spiritual Beings who then spurred men on to deeds of one kind or another.